Disembarkation for QG

[e&mcruise]

Can anyone please tell me if you have to take priority disembarkation when in QG? We don't need to depart early to catch a flight or anything so would really rather stay till (not quite but close to) the last minute. Seems a bit ass about to have the best cabins kicked off first but to my understanding, QG get priority to disembark but wanted to know if we can request a later disembarkation time.

 

Thanks for any insights.

[Victoria2]

There's no 'ass' at all about QG. None whatsoever. It's a wonderful way to travel and we feel very, very privileged to be able to do so.

 

Go to the Concierge and request a later embarkation.

 

Simples.

[david63]

My understanding about disembarkation, on any ship, is that the time you are given is the earliest that you can disembark. I have never known anybody go around to check that all one group has disembarked before the next is allowed to disembark. Many times I have disembarked a ship well after my group has been called.

 

Just take your time and disembark when you are ready.

[LadyL1]

It is pleasant not to feel rushed in QG. On our last trip (QV) Nov, we were given earliest disembarkation, whereas previously we had been given a letter with time slots to select up to about 9.15am.(?)

Just remember, these suites have to be serviced for the next occupants of pax, who in QG enjoy the very early boarding.  I am sure you will be fine staying until 9 ish, after having had another substantial breakfast in the restaurant. The concierge will do the utmost to help.

[TouchstoneFeste]

1 hour ago, e&mcruise said:

Seems a bit ass about to have the best cabins kicked off first

Others are noting that you're not really kicked off, but as @LadyL1 points out, those cabins do need to be serviced early. I think the logic from the passenger point of view is that getting off first also gives you shorter queues for immigration, porters, taxis, etc.

[exlondoner]

19 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Others are noting that you're not really kicked off, but as @LadyL1 points out, those cabins do need to be serviced early. I think the logic from the passenger point of view is that getting off first also gives you shorter queues for immigration, porters, taxis, etc.

If it is a Southampton arrival, immigration is usually done on the ship. You do not have to queue ashore. Customers checks very rarely occur either.

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

There's no 'ass' at all about QG. None whatsoever. It's a wonderful way to travel and we feel very, very privileged to be able to do so.

 

Go to the Concierge and request a later embarkation.

 

Simples.

OOPS, disembarkation.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

My understanding about disembarkation, on any ship, is that the time you are given is the earliest that you can disembark. I have never known anybody go around to check that all one group has disembarked before the next is allowed to disembark. Many times I have disembarked a ship well after my group has been called.

 

Just take your time and disembark when you are ready.

I would make sure I have later disembarkation tags because call me paranoid, but to have my cases on their own in the early disembarkation area doesn't sit well with me. Yes easier to find but also easier 'to pick up' should anyone be so inclined as [and this is not knowing e&mcruise's  itinerary and so which port is pertinent] no one in our experience has ever checked folk have the right bags.

[LittleFish1976]

2 hours ago, e&mcruise said:

Can anyone please tell me if you have to take priority disembarkation when in QG? We don't need to depart early to catch a flight or anything so would really rather stay till (not quite but close to) the last minute. Seems a bit ass about to have the best cabins kicked off first but to my understanding, QG get priority to disembark but wanted to know if we can request a later disembarkation time.

 

Thanks for any insights.

 

The butlers are usually very keen to have access to the QG cabins to commence the servicing for the next guests rather early, in my experience. They will enter the room while you are at breakfast and make a start. Perhaps you can hang around in another area of the ship but you will need to leave your cabin at the time assigned.

 

[exlondoner]

11 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I would make sure I have later disembarkation tags because call me paranoid, but to have my cases on their own in the early disembarkation area doesn't sit well with me. Yes easier to find but also easier 'to pick up' should anyone be so inclined as [and this is not knowing e&mcruise's  itinerary and so which port is pertinent] no one in our experience has ever checked folk have the right bags.

Oh yes, when we disembarked last from Covid quarantine on QM2, there our bags were  all alone at the far end of the baggage hall surrounded by emptiness. And, it must be said, minded by the excellent man who had organised the disembarkation. But they did look pathetic. While they are obviously easier for miscreants to intercept if sitting all alone, it may make them much susceptible to mistaken acquisition, which does seem to happen quite often. 

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

 

The butlers are usually very keen to have access to the QG cabins to commence the servicing for the next guests rather early, in my experience. They will enter the room while you are at breakfast and make a start. Perhaps you can hang around in another area of the ship but you will need to leave your cabin at the time assigned.

 

Usually we find the butler (and assistant) have done everything except the bathroom while we are at breakfast. As we enjoy the chance to board as early as possible, this seems very sensible, and we make sure we don’t leave clutter in his/her way.

[BigMac1953]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

Customers checks very rarely occur either.

 

On our last two Madeira and Canaries trips, there were 6 customs officers waiting to pounce.

 

Nicky Chapman (TV personality) was stopped and had to empty her luggage.

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

On our last two Madeira and Canaries trips, there were 6 customs officers waiting to pounce.

 

Nicky Chapman (TV personality) was stopped and had to empty her luggage.

I did say ‘very rarely’. Do you think they knew who she was? She’s not someone I’ve heard of, inevitably.

[BigMac1953]

36 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

She’s not someone I’ve heard of, inevitably.

 

Escape to the Country presenter, plus other progs.

[Mareblu]

9 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

Escape to the Country presenter, plus other progs.

Very well known, at least in my demographic in Australia…and easily recognisable in a throng, as she’s quite statuesque.  I suspect she was “singled out”, sadly for her.

[Jim_Iain]

As a new Cunard cruiser am curious about disembarkation works.    Most lines I have sailed ask guests to be out of their cabin by a specific time e.g 8:00 AM regardless of disembarkation time.  Walk offs begin at 7:00 and those with later time have breakfast or hang out in public areas.  
 

Sounds like on Cunard people leave things in their room when they go to breakfast?

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

As a new Cunard cruiser am curious about disembarkation works.    Most lines I have sailed ask guests to be out of their cabin by a specific time e.g 8:00 AM regardless of disembarkation time.  Walk offs begin at 7:00 and those with later time have breakfast or hang out in public areas.  
 

Sounds like on Cunard people leave things in their room when they go to breakfast?

The last couple of times a disembarkation time was specified on the Southampton Landing Arrangements document. In our case this was 8.10, I think. We went to breakfast about 7.15, leaving the cabin tidy for the butler, then came back to clean our teeth and go to the loo. Then we waited in our cabin until the moment of doom and left.

[seasickphil]

When we disembarked in Barcelona last October, passengers had to vacate their cabins by 8.00am apart from those in QG ( maybe PG as well ) which was 9.00am. We saw our butler before going to breakfast and informed him that he could get on with getting the suite ready for the next guests as we would only need to clean our teeth and pick up our things. 

[Pushpit]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Sounds like on Cunard people leave things in their room when they go to breakfast?

I just tell my steward when I'm going to be leaving and (s)he tends to work around that. I don't like rushing off, so I would always have an unhurried breakfast and then think about leaving. (Indeed I only tend to pack up bags after breakfast!). If I think the steward really needs my stateroom then I may take my bags and go off to Carinthia or the Chart Room for a last coffee, before leaving. Cunard does give some very verbose documents detailing what to do and when to do it, but seems perfectly fine with people just going with the flow. There is a PA when they really, really want you off the ship.

[Host Hattie]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

As a new Cunard cruiser am curious about disembarkation works.    Most lines I have sailed ask guests to be out of their cabin by a specific time e.g 8:00 AM regardless of disembarkation time.  Walk offs begin at 7:00 and those with later time have breakfast or hang out in public areas.  
 

Sounds like on Cunard people leave things in their room when they go to breakfast?

That's the way it used to work on Cunard but since the restart after the pandemic disembarkation has generally been straight from cabins at a time given. 

 

[Jim_Iain]

15 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

I just tell my steward when I'm going to be leaving and (s)he tends to work around that. I don't like rushing off, so I would always have an unhurried breakfast and then think about leaving. (Indeed I only tend to pack up bags after breakfast!). If I think the steward really needs my stateroom then I may take my bags and go off to Carinthia or the Chart Room for a last coffee, before leaving. Cunard does give some very verbose documents detailing what to do and when to do it, but seems perfectly fine with people just going with the flow. There is a PA when they really, really want you off the ship.

Sounds perfect.    We will be staying in an AirBnb we have used for a couple years in Lymington and in no rush to get there before checkin time if someone it there the night before.  

[BigMac1953]

Last November, the way disembarkation worked was new for us.

 

QG labels were blue. We were given 8:10am disembarkation. As we approached the gangway, they checked that we had blue receipt tags.

 

In the luggage hall, they were still unloading and sorting. These areas were cordoned off and we were directed to the far end where all the "blues" were and the only area not cordoned off.

 

Presumably, the PG's would follow after they ensured all the luggage was off loaded.

[Victoria2]

13 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

Last November, the way disembarkation worked was new for us.

 

QG labels were blue. We were given 8:10am disembarkation. As we approached the gangway, they checked that we had blue receipt tags.

 

In the luggage hall, they were still unloading and sorting. These areas were cordoned off and we were directed to the far end where all the "blues" were and the only area not cordoned off.

 

Presumably, the PG's would follow after they ensured all the luggage was off loaded.

We have no issue with disembarkation as, like yourselves, the timing is of our choice and our luggage tags coloured accordingly.

A few years ago, we experienced mayhem in the disembarkation process as so many thought they could just get off and collect their bags, not realising their bags hadn't been offloaded at that time and so were told 'to wait' at the entrance to the hall.

This cause a log jam and those whose bags had been put out, couldn't get to them and there were some 'frayed' tempers. It was also a H&S issue as some elderly/infirm were literally in danger of being knocked off their feet.

 

So if tags, and therefore timings, are being monitored before disembarkation, that is a bonus to safety and the smooth running of the process.